The present invention relates to telecommunications systems, and in particular, to a system and method for automatically detecting pending area code changes and updating speed dialing lists, routing tables, and the like.
The proliferation of various telecommunications devices such FAX machines, modems, pagers and cellular phones has resulted in an extensive restructuring of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) area code boundaries, including the splitting of existing area codes into one or more new area codes. Such area code changes typically occur in four phases. During a first phase, when the directory number is unique, no notification by telephone is given to the call originator that the area code of the dialed number is changing. The call is simply completed. In the second phase, when the directory number is still unique, the originator may be advised by the Central Office that the number being called is changing to a new area code. In the third transitional phase, the Central Office notifies the caller that the area code has changed, but leaves it to the caller to redial the number with the proper updated area code and directory number. Finally, in the fourth phase, the area code update is complete and the Central Office notifies the caller that the area code for the number has been changed, provides the new area code, notifies the caller that the number is not in service, or possibly connects the caller to a wrong number if the number has been reassigned.
Unfortunately, each change in area code or telephone number presently requires manually updating telecommunications systems. In particular, additions or changes to telephone area codes requires individual reprogramming of several types of equipment, including private branch exchanges (PBX), call accounting systems, voice mail systems, speed dial lists in facsimile (FAX) machines, network management systems, dial up routers, communications software and integrated services digital network (ISDN) devices and terminal adapters (TA), Telephony over LAN (ToL) gateways, gatekeepers, and other devices, hereinafter telecommunications devices. If these telecommunications devices are not reprogrammed, access to telephone lines in the regions undergoing area code changes becomes inconvenient, if not impossible. Generally, a service technician or an onsite communications manager manually updates the system with the new area codes as needed.
Therefore, there is a need for an updating system wherein telecommunications networks and devices may automatically detect an area code change and be reprogrammed with new area code information without the need for manual intervention.
These and other problems in the prior art are overcome in large part by a system and method according to the present invention. A telecommunications device according to the present invention is able to automatically detect a pending change in an area code or numbering plan area (NPA) during the period when either the new area code or the existing area code may be used to dial a particular number. Such a telecommunications device is configured to read a connected party number during the permissive period and compare the connected party number with the called party number. If there is a mismatch in the area code portion of the number and the numbers otherwise match, the telecommunications device knows that an area code update is pending and advises the user thereof accordingly. Alternatively, the telecommunications device may itself automatically update speed dialing lists, routing tables, and the like. According to a first embodiment, the call setup and call connect messages are ISDN (Q.931) call setup and call connect messages. According to a second embodiment, the call setup and call connect messages are ToL H.323 compliant call setup and call connect messages.